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You Owe Me a Dollar (Valuing things and efforts of others)

Got in from a tennis lesson to see her returning from where we keep the kitchen garbage bin and promptly sit down to feast on a grapefruit. Suspicious, I walked to the bin and saw a healthy portion of the sweet, cold watermelon I had cut up for her prior to my lesson…

Me – “Come here, please.”

She came and looked up at me

Me – “Why did you throw away this watermelon?”

Her – “I want the grapefruit.”

Me – “I don’t think so. You’re not eating that grapefruit.”

Whining ensues…

Me – “No way. You threw away perfectly good watermelon that could have been put back in the fridge. I spent energy going to the store to get it, spent money on it that I earned through teaching tennis, and spent energy cutting it for you. Then you’re just going to toss half of it in the garbage? I don’t think so. You owe me a dollar.”

Her – “But I don’t have a dollar!”

Me – “You have plenty of dollars.”

A friend was listening, and it occurred to me for a moment that I might seem rather hard core, but I was sticking to it.

A few minutes later, I was munching on the other half of the watermelon that I hadn’t cut…

Me – “Delicious! It’s so sweet and crisp! Mmmm…”

She edged near me and asked for a bite.

Me – “There’s some in the garbage,” I replied, knowing she would never consider that but to drive home my point.

With my point made, I softened up some…

Me – “You made a mistake in judgment. We all do. You can have the grapefruit. But I do want that dollar. It’s going to the house fund.”

Our friend smiled, sympathetic with her innocence and with what I was teaching. She suggested it go to the next watermelon.

Welcome. Like countless parents, helping my child experience the best start to life that I can muster is my passion. Here I track meaningful, humorous and thought-provoking moments on the journey with my daughter.